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Hochul’s State of the State Highlights Disability Access, Equity — Advocates Say More Is Needed

by Joie Tyrrell

Feb 1, 2026

This photo depicts a very large historic stone building. It is outside and it is under a blue sky. The front of the building has two peaked towers with red roofs. The building is at the center of a red-bricked plaza and the building appears to be five stories tall. It is flanked on two sides by two modern looking white concrete buildings.

The New York state capital building in Albany.

In mid-January, Gov. Kathy Hochul unveiled her State-of-the State address in Albany that included initiatives to make state parks and higher education more accessible for New Yorkers as well as improve health equity and technology accessibility. The initiatives were listed in the governor’s 2026 State-of-the State Book spelling out Hochul’s priorities for the coming year.

Highlights of the governor’s plan include:

  • A health equity study conducted by the Department of Health and the Office of the Chief Disability Officer to collect data on healthcare access and outcomes for people with disabilities. That data will be used to develop a plan to close gaps in care and improve health equity.
  • An increase in income eligibility limits for both seniors and New Yorkers with disabilities who are living in regulated housing from $50,000 to $75,000 in New York City, with the same options being available outside the city.
  • A “These Lands are for Everyone” initiative at state parks which will create sensory friendly and accessible experiences across state parks and lands, including tactile exhibits, sensory trails, and inclusive nature centers.
  • An adaptive clothing grant program that will provide grants to designers to create clothing designed for people with disabilities.
  • A technology initiative to support research and development and increase access for people with disabilities.
  • SUNY and CUNY will seek to increase access to higher education for students with disabilities by creating inclusive post-secondary education programs and formal transitions from high school to college for students with Individualized Education Programs (IEPs).
  • Guidance for easier and expanded access to ASL interpretation and ASL-based government materials.

Reaction to the governor’s State-of-the State was mixed.

While appreciative of efforts to make transportation –  including mass transit – more accessible, representatives from the New York Lawyers for the Public Interest urged Hochul to further advance accessibility by streamlining the application process for Access-A-Ride, expand the “On-Demand E-Hail Paratransit Pilot Program” and fund wheelchair accessibility and electrification of the state’s for-hire vehicle (FHV) fleet by establishing a $1 surcharge on trips dispatched by high-volume transportation network corporations like Uber and Lyft.

In a statement sent to Able News, the civil rights legal group lauded the governor’s “acknowledgement of the systemic barriers that prevent millions of New Yorkers with disabilities from accessing quality affordable health care.”

Lindsay Miller, Executive Director of the New York Association on Independent Living, said in a statement that the association appreciated the recognition of issues faced by New Yorkers with disabilities “including the gaps we face in health care. We look forward to working closely with the Governor and her team throughout the budget and legislative process,” Miller said. “Together, we aim to advance priorities related to the Employment First initiative and the forthcoming Olmstead plan to ensure that all New Yorkers with disabilities have the supports and opportunities they need to live and work in their communities.”